


Panic Attack

by emetoandotherthings



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Illnesses, Panic Attacks, Sick Character, Sickfic, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-12-25 12:33:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18261380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emetoandotherthings/pseuds/emetoandotherthings
Summary: The prompt for this was:  "i really like fics where a character has a panic attack and doesn't know what's going on and ends up vomiting -- don't know which of your characters this would best fit, but i'd love a fic of this happening to one of the guys"WARNING: Includes vomiting





	Panic Attack

            “But where are we going?” Eden had to duck to avoid smacking his head against a low growing branch.

            “Just for a wander into the woods,” Eppie answered, “It’s alright Eden, chill…”

            It was that last word which was the hardest to follow – try as hard as he might, Eden just couldn’t loosen the tight, panicked knot in his chest. It had been Eppie’s suggestion – a weekend away in a cabin up in the Highlands. Away from uni and school, assignments and observations – just the five of them in the wild. And because Eppie’s car could only fit five people, including her, it meant no Mattie.

            Eden had done camping trips back home, with the Scouts and with a bunch of his and Jude’s mates before they all disappeared off to different universities. Normally heading off into the woods wouldn’t bother him – but usually they had a map, some semblance of idea where they were going, and emergency details for if something went wrong. But now they had none of those, and Eden’s throat felt like it was being gripped in a vice.

            Unaware to his feeling of foreboding were Alba and Leyton, hand in hand as they cut their path through increasingly denser shrubbery, and Jude – who was as happy as a pig in mud – bouncing from tree to plant, jabbering away about the medicinal uses of bark and whatever else he could think of. Eppie walked alongside Eden, every so often throwing cautious glances at him like he might be able to explode. Eden was trying to control the burning anxious pit in his stomach, repeating that everything was going to be just fine.

            Then Alba turned off down a gentle slope, leading away from the path, and Eden’s throat tightened all over again.

            “Guys, I think we should stick to the path,” He tried to sound light and casual, but wasn’t sure he’d pulled it off.

            “It’s fine!” Alba laughed, her eyebrows wiggling high up on her forehead. “It’s just a bit of adventure – _off the beaten track._ ” She sounded so self-assured that Eden felt he couldn’t argue. Although half of him wanted to stay where he was, on the path until they got back, the stronger half of him told him to stay with his friends.

            Eden could hear his pulse – loud and fast – in his ears as he followed Eppie down the slope. Up ahead he could see Jude, his head cocked to one side, watching him with a look of confusion and – although Eden couldn’t quite place why, that look made him feel worse.

            The trees grew denser, and Eden ended up walking hunched over so that his head would miss the tree branches. The canopy above was getting so thick that almost no light was reaching where they walked. Eden was just about to suggest they turn back when through the leaves of ferns they broke into a clearing.

            Beams of sunlight shone through the leaves above, creating golden pools on the forest floor, and around the clearing, in almost a perfect circle, grew mushrooms.

            “It’s a fairy ring!” Alba exclaimed with a gasp, her eyes wide at the scene before them. “ _This_ is why you have to get off the beaten track from time to time.” Eden knew that comment was targeted at him, but he didn’t care – he was enjoying a brief relief from the panic he’d been feeling. “Can you guys all shove this way a bit? I wanna get a picture but I don’t want all your feet in it.” As obliged they all shuffled up, so she could take the photo.

            Eden glanced up at the foliage, and suddenly he felt like the leaves and branches were closing in above him.

            “Can you guys remember which way we came in through?” Jude’s voice rang through the clearing; everyone looked around, trying to locate which of the trees they came from.

            “It was that one,” Leyton pointed across the clearing.

            “No, it’s that way.” Eppie was pointing in the opposite direction.

            “I can’t remember,” Alba said. The tightness in Eden’s chest clenched again; they were lost – in the middle of the woods with no idea how to get out.

            He tried to take a deep breath, but it caught at the back of his mouth. The trees above him were definitely getting closer, the light fading rapidly from the clearing. He leant against a tree, trying to steady the shaking of his knees. He knew something like this would happen! He knew they’d get lost, then it’d get dark and there’d be no way for them to find their way back – and no one knew they were out here.

            “Eden?” He heard his name, and realised he’d closed his eyes as his thoughts overtook him. When he opened them Eppie was peering into his face, her pale face glowing like a ghost in the darkness. “Are you okay?” Her hand was on his shoulder, then she exclaimed: “God Eden, you’re shaking like a leaf!”

            He couldn’t reply, his throat was closing up inside him and each breath was more difficult than the one before it. His head swam and his insides clenched up within him. Dimly he heard Eppie calling for Jude, then his best friends’ face appeared in his line of vision.

            “Eden!” Jude’s hands gripped him tightly, giving him a little shake. “Eden, take a deep breath. We’re fine – we’re not lost.”

            _Lost._ That word echoed in Eden’s brain, and he suddenly realised how dry his mouth was – and a wave of nausea hit him, his stomach flipping over inside him.

            “Come on Eden, deep breath now.” Jude repeated, giving him another small shake that upset his stomach more. He tried to take a breath, but it caught at the back of his throat and made him gag.

            The first heave was very dry; Eden’s heart was racing against the knot in his chest, and his stomach churning. He didn’t even have time to warn Jude before the second heave gripped him. He was sure he could feel the contents of his stomach forcing its way up his oesophagus, then it was in his mouth. He pitched forwards, hearing the belch escape his mouth, and the ground at his feet was coated in his vomit.

            Jude had moved, Eden could feel a hand gently patting his back and saying: “You’re okay, when you can take a deep breath.”

            But Eden couldn’t take a breath, almost instantly his mouth was refilled with sour liquid and another wave of puke hit the forest floor, soaking into the soil and leaving a dark mark. His stomach was still contracting, the air catching in his chest as he retched again. The hand on his back was rubbing up and down his spine as he dry heaved repeatedly.

            “He’s really ill…” He heard Eppie’s worried voice; he wanted to say he needed out of here – then he’d be fine, but when he opened his mouth another heave caught him and a further wave of sickness poured out of his mouth. His stomach muscles were really aching, and his head beginning to spin from the continual retching.

            “Just give him a minute,” Jude was saying. “He’ll be okay – I promise.”

            Eden’s stomach felt empty as he dry heaved towards the ground. He just needed to take a breath, then his head would stop swimming and they’d be able to get out of there.

            “I – _uuurpp!’_ The heave came right after the breath, and a grinding pain shot through his stomach. He was _empty_ – surely the heaving had to stop.

            “Deep breath Ede,” Jude’s voice was clear, “In through your nose, out through your mouth.” Eden managed the in bit, but once the air was inside him, a retch forced its way out. “And again.” That time he managed it, in and out. “And again.” He dd it again and the tightness in his chest began to ease up, as did the swimming sensation in his head. “That’s it, keep going.” Jude encouraged, his hand still rubbing on Eden’s back.

            “I…” Eden tried to speak, but his throat was gravelly; he was still trembling from head to foot. “I really need to get out of here.” He struggled weakly.

            “That’s okay,” Jude said patiently, “Just catch your breath for a second then we’ll get out.”

            Eden felt like he’d been hit by a bus, weak and shaky all over.

            “Please, can we just go.” Eden urged, the panicked sensation rising in his chest again. Jude grabbed hold of Eden’s trembling hand and said:

            “Alright, let’s go.”


End file.
